Hand of Fate - Transcendence
by Twilight Warrior 627
Summary: It's been said that Fate can be a cruel mistress. However, her opposite, Free Will, has been known to be fickle among those whom she controls. Thanks to the actions of one man in the past, the consequences have reached out to those whom Fate has deemed to torment in an emotional abyss. With a helping hand, the two will be drawn into something greater than everything they know.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own any of the series, in this story nor any mentioned.

Author's note: Hello to all my readers and followers of the series. I'd like to welcome you all to this side story that will accompany a future sequel to the series. Also, I'd like to add that Hand of Fate II will be coming to a close in only a few chapters. At this point, I've changed so much about the canon from the show, and much of the episodes, while entertaining and have reason for the tv show, are somewhat pointless for me to use as they aren't pertinent to the overall plot. Also, I mentioned in an earlier chapter of story II, that the final sequel would have a big if not slightly odd crossover. SO I've decided to give you guys a taste of the future crossover with a parallel story to accompany it. This will follow canon all the way to both shows finales, but will have follow-ups that will change everything once you start reading. So sit back, relax, and review when you're done with this chapter.

Late July, 2012

UCLA Campus

Los Angeles, California

A young man with short and slightly spiky brunette hair, wearing a plaid blue shirt, black jeans, and black shoes, approached the campus for the tour for prospective freshmen. In the weeks before his arrival, he wouldn't have felt as relieved as he had now. He had trouble deciding what school he would attend to further his education before he finally settled on this school in particular. As he approached the doors leading to the inside of the building, he noticed a pretty brunette standing outside. The look on her face was one of recognition and delight. He had seen that look many times before from the girls in his hometown.

"Oh my gosh! Y-you're-" she didn't finish as the young man wanted to get this out of the way as quickly as possible.

"Freddie Benson. Yeah," he said, smiling bashfully.

"It is so great to meet you! I've watched every episode of iCarly! Where are Sam and Carly?" the young attendant asked him. Freddie immediately frowned at the thought of the two co-hosts of the web-show that would never air another episode. The attendant took note of Freddie's expression and figured she must've said something wrong.

"They aren't here. It's just me," Freddie answered in a melancholy tone.

"Hey. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...this would be a good time to put my foot in my mouth," the girl said trying to laugh off the awkward situation. While Freddie still didn't feel too happy, her attempt at least worked. He was glad that someone seemed to have a congenial manner towards him, as opposed to what he had dealt with back home.

"It's alright. It's a natural curiosity. Anyway, Carly is over in Italy. As for Sam, I don't know where she is. At the moment, it doesn't really matter," Freddie said, the last part more to himself. The attendant caught the change in his voice. Before she could say anything else, she was interrupted by a loud voice.

"Yo Fredweird!" shouted a voice that both Freddie and the attendant knew too well.

"God dammit," Freddie said to himself. The young lady speaking with him looked surprised at his expression. She had noted his eyes were scrunched in what could be described as anger, and likely disgust.

"Dude. What are you doing in LA? Lemme guess, Carly rejected you and you ran like a little bitch?" Sam sneered with a smirk on her face. The attendant couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had always believed that the iCarly trio were a close-knit group of friends. But from the way the former co-host was behaving, she seemed like anything but his friend.

"Sam. I really don't to talk about that. What the hell are you even doing here anyway?" the former tech producer asked his frenemy.

"Remember that redhead, Cat? From Kenan's party?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, so?" Freddie responded.

"Well, after Carly left for Italy, I took off on the bike Spencer let me have, and made my way here. Cat had moved in with her grandmother after her parents left her here because her brother kept getting nuttier. We've been roommates for almost two months. Real sweet girl. A little off. But sweet. What are you doing here? Don't see a nerd convention anywhere," Sam said nonchalantly. Freddie had stiffened at her words. He had been free of her for weeks only to run into her here of all places.

"I'm checking out the school," Freddie said, almost grinding his teeth.

"Man you have got to be the geekiest boy I've ever met. Only you would leave one school and go to another," Sam said mocking him. Freddie's fists clenched and unclenched as he had to reign in his anger before it got the better of him.

"Eh, whatever. Have fun, dorkwad," Sam said, walking away. Freddie finally relaxed as the blonde left him to his own devices. He felt a hand on his left shoulder and turned to see the attendant looking to him with sympathy.

"Are you alright?" she asked looking into his eyes.

"I am now. Thanks," Freddie said as he smiled his thanks as well.

"You're welcome. My name is Lynn by the way. Lynn Credence," the young woman said.

"It's nice to meet you," Freddie replied.

"So...was she always like that? I mean on the show she seemed...I don't know, eccentric? But that? That was just..." Lynn trailed off as she couldn't come up with an appropriate response.

"She's a real bitch," Freddie said. He hated having to using such a word to describe her. But with everything that had happened to him over the years, including their relationship, thanks to her, it was hard not to say it and not mean it. Lynn only looked at him with slightly widened eyes at his statement, unsure what to make of this revelation. Freddie decided to tell Lynn about his dealings with the two web-hostesses as he had never had anyone he could talk to who would understand his side, despite his mother's dislike towards Sam and Carly, and Spencer having witnessed most of it himself. Lynn for her part was shocked at the stories and wondered how he could've even lasted just dealing with the two when the thought struck her.

"You're still in love with Carly," Lynn said, looking at Freddie. The brunette young man looked at his company and frowned further.

"I'm dealing. And trying to move on. My head tells me to let it go. But my heart is having a hard time keeping up. But I figure maybe being here can help me along," Freddie replied, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Lynn didn't say anything else on the matter and led him inside the building to the group he would be with.

"Hey. Keep in touch," Lynn said, handing him a piece of paper with her number on it. Freddie looked back to see her walking away but turning back to smile back at him. He turned back smiling to himself and focused on waiting for the tour to start.

Elsewhere...

A pale, dark brunette girl had just made her way onto the UCLA campus. She contemplated everything that had led her to this point and whether or not things could've been different. Her immediate answer was a solid maybe as she realized that with everything she knew, she wasn't entirely sure whether or not she would be better off with different choices then. As she approached the building where the tour groups were meeting, she was pulled out of her train of thought by the sound of the voice of one of the people she sought to be away from.

"Jade?" the voice said. The owner of the voice approached. She was a slim, tan young woman, around the same age as the pale brunette, with a lighter shade of brunette hair. Jade couldn't help the frown on her face as the other girl approached.

"Ve-...Tori," Jade replied, with her voice calm and trying to indicate that she didn't want to talk to her former rival.

"Hey. This is a surprise, huh? UCLA," Tori said, trying to lighten the situation.

"Hey. Big surprise," Jade said walking towards the main building.

"Jade, I already said I don't have a thing for Beck. Why can't you let it go?" Tori asked. Jade hesitated for a second as she thought back on events that led up to where she was now.

"It was just about you and him initially. I couldn't have cared less if you did get with him after we graduated. It wouldn't have matter anyway. I didn't matter," Jade answered with a melancholic voice.

"Of course you mattered Jade. He was scared to even ask out another girl before you guys got back together. What I can't understand is why you dumped him again," Tori said almost exasperated. In the few years that she had known the West girl, Tori Vega still couldn't quite figure out who she was and it made it all the more difficult really understand her. She often wondered how someone who was so tough could be as defensive as she was.

"You really want to know? Guess I might as well tell you. The guy who you consider one of your best friends isn't everything he's cracked up to be," Jade replied almost seething as the memories came to her.

"What are you talking about?! Beck was a great guy!" Tori yelled back.

"Yeah. So great that he let other girls flirt with him and never once said anything to make them stop. He was so great, that he never listened to me whenever I told him I had a problem with it because all of those girls did it knowing full well we were dating! He's so freakin' great that he told an entire audience that he didn't like our relationship before our second breakup and then declared in front of everyone one of you that he didn't want to be with me because of us fighting! He's been acting like the goddamn victim this whole time, making me the bad guy when he's just as much to blame for everything that went wrong! Not to mention the fact that when you rejected him, and you told him you didn't want to hurt me, what's the first thing he does? He mentions our breakup so he has reason to not kiss you, then he talks about me when so you could kiss him anyway! And then the real kicker was him knowing full well the problem I had with Meredith just as I did with Alyssa Vaughn when it was obvious they were flirting and he had to have known! And you know what's worse? When he couldn't have you, and Meredith turned out to be some ditz, he came to me, and I came crawling right back just like the first time. So if you and everyone else thinks he's so fucking great, I can only imagine what you all think of me," Jade explained, as tears poured from her eyes. Tori stood for a second and watched as her former rival walked away.

She thought over what Jade had told her, and put her hand over her mouth as the pale brunette was right. She remembered the times where Jade had allowed herself to be vulnerable to the one person she had reason to dislike. The singer connected the dots about Jade's father and her relationship with Beck and knew for sure the two weren't unrelated. All Jade wanted for to be loved by her father and by the man that she could be with. In the end both had let her down. And when push came to shove, Jade had to leave Beck for the sake of breaking the cycle of a doomed relationship, where she would likely blame herself and seek relationships that would implode. Tori jogged after Jade in hopes to mend this, as she did not in the past. As she approached, she grabbed the aspiring actress by the elbow.

"Jade stop. Look, I'm sorry. I didn't really give too much thought about your side of things. I called you my friend but I did fail in that. You're right that I didn't see things more clearly. But I have to ask...why did you break up with him this time?" Tori asked as she never quite understood and only received the ex-boyfriend's side of the story.

"It's a long story for me to tell. But the short version: I had a chance to think about everything before graduation. I realized that when it came to our former relationship, nothing changed at all. The first time we broke up, I tried doing something nice. He may have appreciated it then, but I thought it odd that he would complain about that when he wasn't exactly mister giver himself. And then after that, there the way he treated when it came to the two of us. What kind of boyfriend puts his girlfriend in timeout like he's her dad? Then again what kind of girlfriend lets herself be demeaned like that? Finally, there was him guilt-tripping me and then putting the blame solely on me whenever he had problems the second time we broke up. But with this breakup, it felt right because I didn't feel like myself. Hell, I was a walking shell trying to keep everything okay so that we didn't have problems. But still, it was no good. I tried to change. But he didn't. A relationship takes two to work, but instead, I was the one who had to fix everything. What kind of loving relationship is that?" Jade asked Tori.

The lighter brunette was at a loss for words. She remembered that the only time Jade ever was herself was when something odd happened to herself that made Jade smile. It wasn't one of malice or derision. Oddly enough, it seemed as if Jade was content. Tori thought that maybe Jade felt that Karma had been in her favor with all the times that Jade was passed over, as she was every bit as talented. An interesting thought suddenly occurred to Tori as they continued to the main building of the campus.

"You know, we are starting college in about two months. It's a chance for a new start and everyone deserves a new chance. And maybe this time, we can start on better terms. Whaddya say?" Tori offered Jade. The pale young adult looked to the half-latina girl before she smiled. Jade put her hand out in a gesture of greeting.

"Hi. I'm Jade West," she said still smiling at Tori.

"Tori Vega," she replied smiling back, as the olive branch had been received. The girls shook hands and proceeded onward.

As the girls continued walking, they spotting an older couple, dressed in black coming their way. They didn't pay them much attention until the man and woman came closer, their appearances startling the girls. The woman was pale, with long brunette hair down to her shoulders. She radiated strength and protection but had a look that said they she was primed for action at any moment. The man however had a much more frightening effect on both girls. For his part, the man had short hair, that came down to just above his neck, and he appeared to be like another regular guy. However, the girls saw that his left eye had a horrible scar, despite his eye being healed of whatever accident, if there was one, had occurred. Along with that was the feeling of dread as well as power that seemed to be pouring out of him. Neither Jade nor Tori knew what to make of it and kept walking. Unknown to them, the couple had turned back to look at the young girls as they passed.

"What do you say, babe? Think these are the girls Red had picked up on?" the pale woman asked the man, who seemed to be her mate.

"No doubt about it, Faith. Except there are two more in the city we need to keep and eye on; one boy and one girl," the man replied.

"What's up with them?" Faith asked.

"According to Willow, there were two psions, a possible witch, as well as a slayer here in the city. One of the psions had come to the city recently. I can sense them not too far from here," the man said.

"Kinda sucks my new senses are as good as yours, Xand," Faith said.

"Well, the new senses are made specifically for picking out any sort of demonic influence. Psionic abilities allow someone like me to be able to sense anything, especially now ever since the last battle that made us leave. In truth, we're more or less doing the same thing but with different specifics," Xander answered.

"Guess that's a good point. So what do we do about the three here?"Faith asked.

"We'll keep an eye on them for now. They'll have to draw out whatever they can do on their own. Hard to believe these kids are actually famous," Xander surmised.

"No doubt. But what about the blonde that was harassing that kid earlier?" Faith asked. She had sensed something odd about Sam Puckett but couldn't quite put her finger on it. She had only felt this once before but felt that the blonde's presence was not quite the same.

"Nothing. Unless she becomes a problem," Xander answered.

"Guess we'll go back to the room and report to the others," Faith said. She and Xander headed out of sight, and leaped high onto the roof of a nearby building.

UCLA Main Building

Auditorium

Tori and Jade entered and felt a little intimidated as they saw all of the enrolled students walking around, as well as the prospective students waiting for the tour. Both girls walked further, when Jade spotted a familiar young man that she had not seen in over a year. He turned in her direction, not recognizing her initially, until their eyes locked onto each other. Neither was sure who moved first, but they both met each other halfway and smiled.

"Freddie," Jade said, almost shyly, which she couldn't understand.

"Hey Jade. Long time no see," Freddie said jovially.

"Yeah. It's good to see you in person again," Jade said to the young man. She and the others had kept in touch with him and the former web-hostesses since the party at Kenan Thompson's house. However, seeing him now, Jade was almost at a loss. He seemed more muscular than the last time they had met. Before either could say anything, Tori came up to them.

"Freddie! Oh my god, what are you doing here?!" Tori said, leaping into his arms for a hug. Jade had a slight scowl on his face, which she thought Freddie didn't see, but quickly put a guarded expression on her face.

"It's good to see you too Tori. I'm actually thinking of going to school here," Freddie answered.

"What about Carly and Sam?" Tori asked wondering about the other girls.

"Carly won't be back state-side for weeks. Sam is actually here in LA. I ran into about fifteen minutes ago. Chock up another unpleasant experience thanks to Sam Puckett," Freddie said frowning. Tori frowned as well as the former tech producer had relayed simple details about his exploits with the girls, but didn't give too much. Tori relayed some of the information to the others and Jade herself found it rather odd that the one man who was the driving force behind the show's existence was basically crapped on, on a regular basis. She thought about why she had gotten off light, given her past behavior. However, she realized that she never attacked anyone without provocation, even then, she didn't inflict bodily harm. Still, she felt she deserved some more than what she got. Jade suddenly got an idea and smiled at the tech producer.

"Hey, are you staying anywhere nearby?" Jade asked him.

"Yeah. There's a hotel about five miles away from here. Why?" Freddie asked curious about the goth girl's thoughts.

"While we're here, we can celebrate us being future classmates. Whaddya say? Nozu at seven? I'll pick you up?" Jade offered. Freddie smiled at the two girls and gave Jade the hotel he was staying and the room number. None of them knew what exactly would be in store for them.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't own any of the series mentioned in this story.

Author's note: I'm glad I've gotten some attention for the story. I've watched both shows, and to be honest, I really don't like the direction that both shows went, and I damn sure don't like the way both shows ended. The humor alone would've been better if not for the way that Dan had written certain characters, not to mention having one of the main characters the butt monkey of his show. In truth, for a show like iCarly, Dan seemed to reinforce the same concept that Joss Whedon did in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which is that the one consistent male who is a main character is made made to look bad and is humiliated despite his importance to the other characters. It's a concept that's both sad and irritating as emasculating said characters has only caused a false sense of empowerment among audience members. As for Victorious, I really hate how Dan has his characters treat each other and then make certain behaviors seem okay. I've asked this before: ladies, if you were with your boyfriend for three years but he let other girls flirt with him even while he was taken, and treated a female friend better than he treated you, would you honestly be okay with that? Anyway, I'm done. Enjoy the new chapter.

Nozu

Los Angeles, California

Freddie and the brunette girls walked into the restaurant, with the young man holding the door open for the two. Both smiled at him as the walked further into the establishment, but stopped as they noticed the owner at the bar. Mrs. Lee immediately noticed their presence and made a beeline straight for Freddie, with the widest smile any have ever seen.

"Oh my, you're Freddie Benson from iCarly! Welcome to Nozu!" Mrs. Lee said. Her smiled dropped a little as she noticed Tori and Jade each standing on one side of the former tech producer.

"And it's you two girls. The same girls who left my daughter dangling from the ceiling!" the owner yelled. Freddie raised an eyebrow as he was lost on the specifics of what Mrs. Lee was talking about.

"I told you already, there was an issue with the rigging. Your daughter was at safe as the equipment was secure. Besides, you got your money back and then some, so what's really the problem?" Jade challenged before Tori could try and smooth things over. Mrs. Lee sneered at the two girls before replacing her smile.

"I have a nice table for this handsome young man and his two...girlfriends. Please, right this way," Mrs. Lee said trying not to lash out. The three young adults followed Mrs. Lee to a table close tot he stage. The girls recalled the night that Sikowitz forced them to 'date' in order to get along. In truth, they were still annoyed about having been forced to do so, by their teacher, let alone a male, but let ti slide as they weren't sure what he would've gotten away with. The three settled at their table and looked over the menu while making idle chit-chat.

"So Freddie, what made you decide to go to school down here?" Tori asked cheerfully.

"Oh. I thought I should maybe get out explore life in L.A. It's been a while since I was last here and I do like the city. I figured I had a better chance of breaking into the tech business here than back home," Freddie answered with a smile that didn't entirely reach his eyes. Jade and Tori noticed and figured Carly and Sam's absence in his life may have had more to do with it than he let on.

"What about you two? What's been going on? I haven't had a chance to catch up with so much craziness going on," Freddie asked. Tori appeared caught off guard as she wasn't sure how she wanted to relay the details of the shift in dynamics of the group. She looked to Jade who looked back and shrugged her shoulders, and decided to speak up.

"I broke up with Beck," Jade replied almost nonchalantly. Freddie's eyes shot open while Tori's face took on a pained expression as she realized that going over the details again would be more painful for her this time around. Ever since the drama surrounding that event happened, she had wondered if she was really as good a friend as she had claimed to everyone she knew.

"I'm sorry to hear. You don't have to tell me why," Freddie said, snapping Tori out of her musings.

"It's okay. I'm sure Tori filled you in about the past breakups. But I need to tell you my side," Jade said as she recalled the memory.

Early April, 2012

Beck's RV

Los Angeles

_Beck looked at his girlfriend as he heard her words, but wasn't sure he understood what was happening now. He got up off his bed and paced for a few moments wondering how this could be happening. He stopped to look at Jade who only looked back with a calmness that scared him, despite not being afraid of anything._

"_Can you run that by me again?" the handsome teenager asked. Jade let out a soft breath as she had expected this kind of reaction._

"_I said I want to break. For good this time," Jade replied with no anger or malice._

"_Jade, where is this coming from?" Beck asked as he still felt confused._

"_Beck, has anything about our relationship changed?" Jade asked still calm._

"_What? What are you talking about?" Beck asked still feeling in the dark about her motives._

"_Beck. Ever since we got back together, I've realized that nothing has changed between the two of us. All that happened was that I downplayed how I normally act because I didn't want to fight. But then you were still the same. Even after w got back together, the girls still flocked to you and you did the same thing every time. You let them carry on as if it was no big deal; like you were single," Jade began explaining._

"_Oh my god. We're back on this again, Jade?!" Beck began to shout._

"_That's not all," Jade spat back. Beck stopped and looked back at his girlfriend, or soon-to-be as it would seem to be._

"_Not only have your let girls flirt like it's no big deal, the way you've treated me doesn't exactly paint you as Prince Charming. For one thing, you've never bothered to listen to me whenever I brought up these same concerns. You'd always blow me off as if I was just being a jealous and overprotective gank. Yes, I wasn't always the best person to be around but I was never mean to anyone unless they did something to bother me. You never even cared to know how I felt. You took every chance to bail and even went so far as to punish like I'm some little girl and you're my dad. Truth is, I should've gotten better form you since I never treated you that way. But you don't know anything about respect," Jade finished as she moved to stand up. _

"_Still the same jealous vindictive bitch," Beck mumbled. Unfortunately Jade heard him. She spun to face him and saw the look of surprise on his face._

"_I told you already why I was mean. But you don't listen or respect me, not only as your girlfriend but as a person. I'm not going to let myself sink lower than I did when we got back together. We're done Beck," Jade said moving to the door, only for Beck to grab her arm roughly._

"_Maybe I have more to say," Beck said getting angry. Jade tried pulling her arm away from him but it was proving difficult._

"_Beck! Let me go!" Jade yelled as she finally yanked her arm away._

"_You've been the one talk maybe I should do some too!" Beck said as he grabbed Jade again. Jade wouldn't have this time as she cocked her right arm back. As she threw a punch, her fist hit her intended target. However, when her fist connected with Beck's face, she heard a crack and saw him fly back and hit the wall painfully. Jade stood shocked for a minute until Beck looked up at her in fear._

"_Get out," Beck said with labored breath. Jade didn't need to be told twice as she quickly left Beck's trailer to head home._

Present...

Freddie and Tori looked on in shock as Jade finished her story. She had looked contemplative as if there was something more to the story. Jade had decided not to mention the drama that followed days later. Beck had told the others that Jade had dumped him and that she had hit him before leaving. Since then, the others had not spoken to her, save Cat or André which was still few and far between. Jade wasn't surprised that he once again twisted the truth to be better suit him. Despite being left alone for the better part of about two months, she felt relief at finally feeling free to be herself.

"Wow. I'm so sorry. But Tori, didn't you or the others check on Jade?" Freddie asked, catching on that his question surprised Tori.

"Uh, w-well-" Tori stammered.

"It's okay Freddie. I didn't tell anyone else till now," Jade answered before Tori could.

"But they're still your friends. They should've come to see you," Freddie said, not understanding how a group like this could still have been together this long. Tori let out a breath, catching her companion's attention.

"Beck told us that Jade had hit him when they were talking. That she just freaked and lashed out. As ashamed as I am to admit it, we took Beck's side without even talking to Jade about her side. We've always been scared of Jade because he came off as...scary. We really let you down Jade. I'm sorry," Tori said with her voice full of regret. Jade wasn't sure what to say as no one had ever thought to apologize to her. Usually she would be blamed or seen as the bad guy even when she was wronged.

"Friendships are always hard. They're meant to be built on mutual trust, respect, and understanding. The hard part is knowing when the friendship is really one-sided and that you're being taken advantage of. As for romantic relationships, it's even harder, especially when you love them but they don't love you back. And no matter how much you show them, they just take it for granted. It gets hard because your heart and mind then become at war with one another. And you're just left wishing that things could've been different," Freddie mused as he thought on the situation.

Tori had listened to his words and thought back on the time when she had hung out with Beck, just the two of them. The awkward situation at the animal clinic was the oddest thing to have happened to her up to that point as the random clients had dug their noses in the her and her friend's business. But when the issue of her, Jade, and Beck came up, it became weirder. It wasn't until someone confronted the Canadian teen about his feelings towards both girls, where he said that he'd always love her as a friend but didn't say so as far as her being his girlfriend. Tori began re-evaluating just how good a friend he really was to her or Cat in the midst of everything. What really brought everything home was during the events leading up to the Platinum Music Awards where he tried to kiss her. She remembered feeling vulnerable at that time and realized that Beck had tried to capitalize.

"Speaking from experience?" Jade asked out of sympathy.

"You could say that," Freddie said. He thought back to his last conversation with Carly before he made his decision to leave. It was that conversation that made him realize that after seven years, nothing had really changed. That to the girl he loved, he would always be second, if not last to her.

Mid June, 2012

Seattle, Washington

_Freddie sat in his bedroom with his laptop resting on his thighs. Carly had been gone for a few weeks already and he was looking forward to talking with the girl who held his heart. He brought up the window for video chat and sent a request. After a few moments, the request was accepted and a window opened showing Carly Shay's face on the monitor. Freddie noticed that she seemed surprised but ignored it for the moment._

"_Hey Freddie. What's up?" Carly asked trying to keep from looking distracted._

"_Not much Carls. Just thought I'd see how life in Italy was treating you,"Freddie responded with a bright smile._

"_Everything's fine here. Just living. How are you? And how's Sam?" Carly asked. Freddie's smile turned into a slight frown at the question._

"_I've been fine. I don't know what to tell you about Sam. She actually left the same night you did," Freddie replied._

"_She left?!" Carly yelled at the news._

"_Yeah. Just took off without so much as a word. Not too surprising though," Freddie said._

"_Freddie she was our friend-"_

"_No, Carly. At best, she was your friend. I was just your free target whenever she felt the need to hit me, insult me, or humiliate me," Freddie said with his eyes downcast._

"_Freddie...I'm sorry I let her get by with all tha-" Carly was saying before Freddie interrupted her._

"_It doens't matter too much now. Whether or not she owns up to her behavior is up to her. IF she's alright, that's all that matters," Freddie said. Carly smiled that he didn't at least hate Sam in the end._

"_Carly, I really mi-" _

"_Carly, sweetheart, who are you talking to?" came a voice that Freddie knew wasn't the colonel's. A young man about their age with short, slightly spiky hair, and a medium muscular build came into view of the monitor, with his arm around Carly's shoulders. Freddie immediately knew that he was about to receive the biggest heartbreak of his life._

"_Just a friend Roberto. It'll only take a minute," Carly replied. Her company simply shrugged and walked away. Freddie had remained quiet with his head hung low as he realized what this now meant for him and Carly._

"_Look Freddie, I-" Carly was cut off._

"_He's your boyfriend," Freddie said for her._

"_You don't know that for sure. Maybe he was just a friend," Carly snapped back._

"_Since when have Gibby or I ever put our arm around your shoulders and you didn't recoil? How many times have you told me to give you space or something similar? We kissed before you left. I thought that maybe there would've been a chance to at least talk about whether or not there would be more between us like we promised. This is just like when Steven came into the picture," Freddie said the last part absentmindedly._

"_What's Steven got to do with this?" Carly asked._

"_You did the same thing when you started dating Steven. After I saved you from the taco truck, we promised that we'd talk about whether or not anything changed once the casts were off. But you didn't. I thought that I would've been given more consideration from someone who was my best friend," Freddie said, letting out a breath of the release that came with his words. Carly was about to say something when Freddie stopped her again._

"_You know what. Don't worry about it. You're living your life. I should be living mine. Have a nice life...Carly Shay," Freddie said before he cut off the video chat and shut down his laptop. Freddie sat his computer down on the the floor and laid back on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. He didn't care that tears silently streamed down his face._

Present

Freddie shook his head as the memory of that night still hurt and he wanted to move on. As much as he had loved Carly, it was pointless dwelling on the past. He looked to his female companions and smiled that at least he could make a few friends here. The young man looked at the girls and smiled which they returned in full. The three decided on food and chatted about things they hoped to accomplish at UCLA.

After an enjoyable meal between the three, the left the restaurant and noticed that it had gotten dark. Freddie looked to Jade and Tori.

"Well, I guess the night is winding down. I think I'd better be getting back to my room. What are you two going to do?" Freddie asked.

"I don't know. It's only eight o'clock. We've still got time to kill. Wanna hang some more?" Jade asked, hoping to know more about the young man.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? Three kiddies all alone in an alley. Come on boys, maybe we can have fun with the girls before-Holy shit! It's Freddie Benson! Hey Guys! It's Freddie Benson from iCarly!" a stranger yelled out making the three companions stop in their tracks, as five more men surrounded them, each awestruck.

"You're not laying a hand on anyone as long as I'm around," Freddie said moving between Tori and Jade.

"You know, I've wanted to turn a celebrity since I was turned. Now I have a chance," the leader said as his face suddenly morphed into a monstrous face. The ridges of his forehead had furrowed and stood out from the face, while his teeth had sharpened and lengthened into fangs. Finally, their eyes appeared golden and were cat-like.

"Oh my god!" Tori shouted as she became nervous for her life. Jade recoiled herself as the guys surrounding her suddenly morphed their faces as well. Freddie tried to remain calm even as he was freaking out. He had heard rumors about something like this before. He remembered reading articles about a small town in California suddenly disappearing back in 2003. Even weirder, was that the town itself had become known for all of the murders that had accrued ever since it was founded. The murders usually involved incidents of 'people falling on barbecue forks' or 'gangs on pcp'. Looking at the guys in front of him, his normally logical mind could only come to one answer to the men, if he could call them that, surrounding them: vampires. He took note of the six vampires surrounding them and realized that if myths were to be believed, they may not stand a chance.

Freddie lashed out at one coming from their right, hoping to create an exit for the girls. However, before they could move, two of the attackers grabbed them and threw them to the ground. The girls could only watch as the other four set upon Freddie and proceeded pummeling him to the ground, as he feebly tried to defend himself. Jade looked up and saw that the former tech producer would likely not last much longer, when that feeling returned. She stood up as one of the attackers approached her. With one glance at her attacker, he was suddenly thrown back by an invisible force. Tori looked at her former frenemy in shock.

As Jade was coming to terms with what happened, Freddie saw what she had done and saw that she was still in shock. He wanted more than anything to make sure Jade and Tori would at least come out of this alive. Suddenly, he felt something powerful from within himself, that made him tremble. Suddenly, he felt his body become filled with power and the four surrounding vampires were thrown back by a similar force. Everyone looked up and saw Freddie standing with a strength that had been belied by his normal posture. What set everyone off was that his irises were glowing a silvery blue color, which also crackled. Himself could feel power coursing through his power, especially as it continued to ebb. One of the vampires moved to attack only to trap in a force, which emitted the same aura that Freddie's eyes had undertaken. Suddenly, the captured vampire burst into flames then dust, making everyone turn to Freddie who had his right arm outstretched.

Jade was marveled by what he had done and figured she could likely do the same. She looked to her attackers and noticed pieces of broken wood in a dumpster behind them. She concentrated and suddenly the two vampires were thrown back and flew towards the pieces of wood and were dusted as they became impaled. The odds were now more even as there was three to one. The leader and the remainder of his gang moved to attack, only to see everything in the alley begin floating and moving around them rapidly. Freddie and Jade looked to Tori and were surprised by her appearance. Her brunette hair had become slightly darker and was flying out everywhere. Her appearance was even stranger as her eyes had dilated grown darker. Jade and Freddie took to cover as the objects were slightly wild yet seemed focused while the vampires had a hard time simply dodging, as some of the wood had started flying around them as well. Freddie looked on and focused on the three remaining vampires until they each exploded. The objects suddenly dropped to the ground and the aura had left Freddie's eyes. The three looked to each other shocked.

"W-what just happened?" Tori asked breaking the shock she was in.

"I...I think vampires attacked. A-and we used superpowers," Freddie answered timidly still not believing what had happened.

"We need to get somewhere safe quickly," Jade suggested.

"But where to?" Tori asked.

"We can go to my house. Tori, you rode with me anyway, so it'll be fine. Just call your parents and tell them that we're meeting up with Cat later and that she wants to have a sleepover," Jade suggested. Tori took out her phone and called her parents, who consented.

Jade pulled her car into the driveway of her home, noticing her mother's car was not in the driveway. She remembered that her mother was going on a business trip for the week. This was a saving grace as she wouldn't be able to truthfully explain why her former frenemy and a random young man were staying in their house. Tori was feeling relieved as she wasn't sure she wanted to take the chance of hurting her family with everything that happened. Freddie, however, was trying to rationally figure out how this had come about and why this had happened to them. He realized that wouldn't be able to come up with a logical answer, or at least an answer that would make it seem as though he was tossed into a nightmare. The young adults entered the house and took in the lavish yet modest-sized home.

"Come on. My room is right upstairs," Jade said leading the way. The three reached the threshold of her room. Tori and Jade stopped as they realized that Freddie had not entered. They spotted him standing outside with a bit of trepidation in his face.

"I think I should sleep on the couch, in case we get more trouble," Freddie suggested mildly. Despite having been in Carly's room, being in the room of a girl who was still a bit of a stranger to him was new ground for him. Jade and Tori smiled softly at his chivalry.

"You don't have to Freddie. Vampires don't enter a home unless they're invited in. It's common knowledge. Besides, Tori and I would feel better if you were here with us," Jade said timidly, having never been this vulnerable except around Beck.

"If you say so. Is there a sleeping bag?" Freddie asked. The girls laughed softly as he continued to hold out.

"I think it'll be best if you stay close," Jade said, trying to keep her face from flushing. She felt oddly comfortable being in his presence despite their lives having been at serious risk not too long ago. He gave off a presence that made her feel safe even when the odds seemed against them. He had even put himself in further danger to make sure they lived.

"Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm tired. I'm going to change in the bathroom. Tori, you're free to change in there too. I've got extra clothes. Freddie, you can change in here," Jade said, as sh e brought spare clothes out of her dresser and proceeded to the bathroom, with Tori following. After ten minutes, the young man and women were changed and had settled onto Jade's bed. The girls were dressed in sweatpants and t-shirts. Freddie, in his reluctance, was dressed only in an undershirt and boxers. He had tried keeping his distance but couldn't go anywhere, especially since the girls were adamant about letting him stay. Jade had put in a movie for them to watch on her television until it came time to settle in for sleep. Freddie tried to proceed to sleep on the floor but was stopped as the girls kept him on the bed. As they each laid down for sleep, the girls had subtly communicated that Freddie would sleep in the middle. Freddie had a hard time being able to sleep as he had gone from protector to teddy bear in the same night. Eventually sleep claimed all three as they knew they had stepped into something unbelievable.

In the alleyway where the young adults were attacked, Xander, Faith, and Jenny had investigated the area. The former technopagan had a handheld device with a meter that seemed to be going off the scale. Her friends looked to her as she had a look more serious than they had ever seen on her face.

"What's up Jen?" Faith asked.

"These readings indicate that the psychic energies present are beyond anything any novice has ever experienced. Xander, you said you felt the power immediately after Sachiel awakened it within you. But the readings show that the energies present had soared past that. It's like their minds and feelings alone were the source controlling the power. We might have to get to these kids soon or else they could be dangerous," Jenny explained.

"I don't think we have to worry just yet. I just found about six piles of dust. And from the looks of this debris, it's safe to say they may be a bit wary until they learn a bit more control. And considering who we're tracking, it's safe to say they will. Let's give it a little while longer," Xander suggested.

"Are you sure?" Jenny asked.

"I remember how I felt when I first began using my powers. At first, everything seemed reactive until Sachiel trained me and I reached new heights. These kids are the same way. We at least know for sure they're not impulsive. We'll give them more time before we come to them. On the plus side, you might have a new student Jenny," Xander joked, making her smile and shake her head. The three Scooby gang friends levitated and flew off back towards their base of operations, hoping that the search will draw to an end soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own any series or characters or series mentioned.

Author's note: So yeah, I've set it up for Freddie, Jade, and Tori. I originally didn't plan for Tori to be in it. But considering the way things look like they could've ended between her and Jade, why not have them take on some semblance of true friendship. This brings me to another rant I'm about to do. In one of my previous stories, I've addressed the fact that there are fans who bash and mischaracterize Xander, because he lied about the soul spell when the world was in danger of ending and Buffy was risking the entire world. For some reason those same fans seem to think Buffy and Angel's relationship was a perfect romance, when it was nothing but fatalistic. I've said my piece before about fans who treat Xander's character in such a way and Joss Whedon is even worse as the creator. Now, I'm going to address fans who bash Buffy. I understand the need to uplift Xander's character and poiint out Buffy's flaws in her character that most fans don't see. However, I've read a few stories where Buffy's anger towards Xander turned more OOC and while the plots can be good, there's that fine line where the bashing is as bad as Xander bashing. Honestly, it doesn't make much sense to bash a character this heavily. Every character has their good points and their bad, with some characters having more bad than others. But it doesn't do anyone any favors when fans bash characters so heavily to a point of degrading their true characters. With that in mind, I'd like to say that it's also bothersome that fans do not see Freddie Benson as a real person, same with someone like Jade. Rather than take these shows at face-value, fans should delve deeper and understand who they really are.*Phew* I've made my public service announcement. Please enjoy this next installment.

Sleep was not as easy a thing to keep for Freddie as the night turned into morning. It was only three hours later that Freddie woke up and found that he couldn't get back to sleep again. The day had gone from normal, to dismal, to cheerful, to complete hell all the span of hours. What he and the girls saw, he was sure he wouldn't forget as long as he lived. He thought back to when he first had gotten word about the possibility of vampires, when he was nine years old. He had always had a fascination with technology. Something about the way it could produce power and be used as a way of making life more comfortable for people intrigued. It was when he found that article in 2003 about a small town in California that disappeared that he wondered. The story itself wasn't well known as he came across it searching for an expansion for an online game. It was over two years later when he felt something odd rush through him, leaving him feeling oddly strengthened. His mother thought perhaps he hadn't been eating as properly as she felt he should have. After being reacquainted with that feeling again, he knew for sure that something happened to him to change him, physically and beyond. Freddie looked to his right to see Jade stirring from her sleep, with Tori following right behind her.

"Mmmmm. Good morning Freddie," Jade said smiling at the tech producer.

"Good morning guys," Tori said, lifting her head up but still looking groggy.

"Good morning girls. How are you feeling?" Freddie asked.

"Good," both girls replied, looking to each other, then laughing.

"Well, I think I'll get started on breakfast," Jade said making her way downstairs to the kitchen.

The dark brunette stopped by the refrigerator, taking out eggs, bacon, and set out making a breakfast for the trio. As she prepared the meal, her mind wandered to the events of the previous night. Jade had been into subjects of a dark nature. However, last night for her was like staring into the abyss itself, and being floored at looked back. Of all the things to run into, it turned out to be vampires. Unknowingly like Freddie, she too had heard about the stories of the little town called Sunnydale and how it one day vanished without a trace. She felt that after she graduated, she'd take a small trip to where the former town was and discover whether or not it was true. As she continued thinking on the attack, she realized she may need to put more stock into those myths and urban legends. If vampires existed, then chances were that other dark creatures existed. For the first time in her life, things of the dark nature frightened her. She was brought of her train of thought as Tori and Freddie came into the kitchen, both with their clothes from the previous night. As breakfast was finally prepared, the three sat down and ate their meal in silence.

"So...any ideas for the new day?" Freddie spoke up. The girls looked at him strangely before smiling at his attempt to relieve any tension.

"Well, we could figure out those crazy powers we used," Tori playfully suggested.

"Really?" Freddie asked in surprise.

"Tori has a point. It all seems too...weird that we get attacked by vampires and then suddenly we're throwing stuff around with our freakin' minds," Jade threw in, pointing at her head.

"I'm still trying wrap my head around the fact that we saw vampires. And I'm pretty sure one was a fanboy," Freddie noted with his face scrunching in confusion.

"But why would vampires be here? And how do they even exist? This whole thing is just crazy," Tori said, massaging her temples.

"Maybe we can figure that out later. How about after breakfast, we try and figure out how our powers work?" Jade suggested, to which the other two young adults agreed. After they finished their meals, they discussed a possible location on which they could discreetly use their new-found abilities. Jade smiled as she thought of a perfect location.

"I know the perfect location."

Abandoned House

Los Angeles

Jade pulled her car up to the front of the abandoned house, thankfully without any security guards around. After a quick stop at Freddie's hotel room for him to change, the three headed to the house to work on improvement.

"So this is where 'The Scissoring' was filmed? Not bad," Freddie said scanning the building.

"Yup. Best horror movie anyone will have the pleasure of seeing," Jade said, smiling to herself.

"Yeeeah. It just screams horror," Tori said hesitantly. Despite knowing the movie was fiction, she was still freaked out. Being on the very property of the still scared her to being paranoid of a ghost jumping out at her.

"How did you manage to sneak here before?" Freddie asked the dark brunette

"I've snuck in here before just to check out the house. If possible, I'd like to buy it and keep it," Jade replied. Freddie simply chuckled at the response.

"Hey, maybe we can use the backyard so no one can see us. Come on," Jade said, leading the way. As they made their way to the clearing, they stood wondering what to do next.

"So what's the best way to do this?" Freddie asked.

"Maybe we can try and lift stuff first. That seemed to help us last night," Jade offered.

"But I'm not sure we can just do that on command. I was just scared out of my mind and then I thought 'I didn't want to be useless'. How can we just do that? Do we just think and it happens? I just think 'I want that rock by the house to float in the air' and then-" Tori didn't finish as the rock she thought about suddenly lifted off the ground and floated towards the three.

"What the hell?" Tori said more to herself. Freddie and Jade were impressed by the feat as they weren't expecting her to be the first to utilize her power.

"So how do we use ours?" Jade asked looking at Freddie.

"Maybe it works in a similar way. Tori's seemed to work just by thought or command. Maybe for us, we have to visualize. Pick up the rock and hold your hand out," Freddie requested. Jade did as he asked and watched as he concentrated on the rock. His face looked as if it strained trying to unleash the hidden force. Suddenly, the rock was lifted out of Jade's hand. However, unlike the previous night, the rock was surrounded by a bluish-gray aura with arcs of lightning crackling around it, causing Jade to back away as she felt the power as she looked into Freddie's eyes, which crackled with power.

"Wow. Okay Jade. It's your turn," Freddie said, as he powered down. Jade looked back into his eyes and saw the sincerity that she had since the day before. She was surprised seeing difference when his eyes had changed. When his eyes were brown, she saw the kind-hearted, gentlemanly, sincere young man that she met nearly two years earlier. Now, when she looked into his eyes, she could see another side to him; a side that held power, that had not yet been unleashed, but always seemed to be there.

"I-I don't know. I'm not sure I can-"

"You'll do fine," Freddie said, cupping Jade's right hand with both of his. Jade looked into his eyes and didn't feel fear. She looked to the same rock and concentrated. She was rewarded with the rock floating in the air. With Jade, the rock was surrounded with a crackling, blue-green aura. She powered down and smiled at Freddie. Neither noticed that Tori had a look of jealousy on her face at their interaction.

Tori, for her part, was jealous as she had been friendly to him more than the others. However, it seemed that Jade seemed to be snagging his attention. In all the time she has dated, she had never found anyone who was quite like the young man she met at Kenan's party and let stay with her family when she directed her play. She thought back to all of her romantic possibilities and didn't like her prospects. Daniel, Steven, and Ryder had each let her down as they had either proven unfaithful or to be jerks. Then there was Beck.

Her...tentative relationship with the Canadian actor was always tough ground, especially now that she and Jade were going to be friends. She thought back to months ago when he had tried to kiss her after she was fired from her spot on the Platinum Music Awards. Even though a part of her wanted to kiss him, at the time she felt vulnerable for letting herself be controlled. She had told herself and Beck that she didn't want to hurt Jade, as she considered her a friend despite their rivalry. However, another part of her had become uncomfortable with him for catching her in a tight spot. She wasn't initially sure whether or not she wanted to tell Jade, but figured she may as well one day.

"Alright. So we can lift stuff. Think maybe we can do what we did to those vamps?" Jade asked the two.

"Maybe. But we'll have to be careful. We still don't know what we can do if we were put in another situation like last night," Freddie offered.

"Well, what do you think we should do?" Tori asked the male brunette.

"Well, I'm considered a nerd for all intents and purposes. It looks like we have psychic powers. We can lift, so we can probably blast too. I mean we've seen comic book superheroes do it with fire and lightning. So why can't we, right?" Freddie asked.

"Freddie come on, those are things superheroes can do. It's not like we have..." Tori stopped as she thought about what she was going to say.

"Superpowers, Tori?" Jade answered, smirking.

"Heh. Okay. So how do we do it?" Tori asked.

"Maybe it works in the same that lifting something does but with different concentration," Freddie responded. The young man lifted his right hand to the sky and concentrated energy into his arm and hand. The energy crackled again as I did before. The energy burst forth into a concentrated beam into the sky, causing the skies above to thunder as the power was released. The girls looked on in astonishment as they watched what Freddie had managed to accomplish.

"Wow," they both said at the same time. Jade did the same and watched as she matched Freddie's ability with almost as much ease as the former tech producer, as the blue-green energy soared off into the sky. Tori proceeded to follow until she saw a plane pass over and let her arm fall down. Unfortunately, she made the mistake of turning to Freddie with energy still charged in her hand. The blast was let go, hitting Freddie square in the chest, making him fly back about ten yards. The young man convulsed as the energy flowed through him and seemed to remain in his body for about ten seconds before he stopped.

"OH MY GOD, FREDDIE! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" Tori rambled on until Freddie stopped her.

"Tori! I'm fine! I'm fine. But that was weird. Whatever energy you used was pretty effective. I thought I'd lose my power for a second," Freddie said, as the two girls helped him up.

"So what do you think that was?" Jade asked, still curious about what she saw.

"I don't know. It looks like you and I both can use raw energy. But Tori's was different. It was...I don't know what it was," Freddie couldn't reason.

"Well, it's good to see that you're beginning to figure this out," came a random, yet lovely sounding voice. The three turned to see a beautiful, caramel skinned woman with long dark hair and green eyes smiling at them. She seemed normal enough and was dressed like a casual young woman. However, something about her was setting the three young adults off.

"Look, we were just hanging out, we'll be out of here soon," Jade said, hoping to not cause trouble.

"Oh don't worry. Security left this place alone after months. I think even they got scared just being here like you did," the woman said smiling at Tori.

"Who exactly are you?" Freddie asked as she stepped forward.

"I'm a...friend of sorts. The kind of friend who can and will watch out for you all," the woman answered cryptically. She then lifted her right hand and immediately surrounded everyone with flying debris on a scale unimaginable to the young man and women present. The three looked to the mysterious woman and felt her incredible power suddenly decrease as if she had done nothing at all.

"What was that?" Tori said, coming out of her stupor.

"That was psionic power. Which every one of you possess. You, Jadelyn and Fredward, both can generate and manipulate pure energy. You, Victoria, use what is known is eldritch energy," the woman began to explain.

"Eldritch energy?" Tori asked in confusion.

"Yes. It is a form of energy that is capable of disrupting reality, depending on how the user utilizes it. The energy unleashed creates a chaotic effect to the point of changing reality in whatever way the user sees fit," the mystery woman added on.

"So what does that mean in layman's terms?" Jade asked.

"Your friend is capable of using magic. Haven't you ever wondered why things tended to work in her favor more often than not?" the woman smugly asked. Jade thought about the mysterious visitor's response. The dark brunette had always thought that Tori had been too fortnate with every opportunity that had come her way. Jade had been one of the hardest working students in the school, yet since Tori's arrival, it was like she suddenly became invisible to everyone including her former boyfriend.

"Are you saying I cheated my way into everything I did?" Tori snapped back.

"Not really. Part of manipulating eldritch energy is that you also manipulate probability," the woman added.

"Oh! Like the Scarlet Witch," Freddie added absent-mindedly. The girls looked at him in confusion as they didn't understand the reference. Freddie looked back in embarrassment.

"She's the daughter of Magneto? From X-Men?" Freddie responded. Tori and Jade nodded their heads as they had seen the movies but were still lost on the comics.

"Indeed. At any rate, Tori's manipulation was unintentional as well as further helped along by the reactions to many of those around her except for other psions she encounters. For natural born psions, there are usually side-effects to having these abilities, which is usually having a mental affect on others. Sometimes, the reaction is positive, other times it's negative. Have you ever thought about why others reacted the way they have? There's always been a reason," the woman explain furthered. The three youths contemplated the answers they received as this was not what they expected to hear. However, there was one thing that was eating away at Freddie.

"You seem to know a lot about what's going on with us. Maybe you can explain something to me," Freddie requested of their visitor.

"I'm listening," the woman responded, somewhat suggestively much to the young ladies' ire, which neither could understand at the moment.

"A few years ago, I was-" Freddie was cut off.

"Hit by the taco truck. Yes, I remember that event very well. You were very brave to save the life of a woman who couldn't love you back. I'm sorry that things couldn't have worked between you two. But I'm getting off subject. You're curious about why you survived getting hit, when the truck should have killed you, the way it would have killed Carly. The answer to that is simple. Have you heard of the story of Samson?" the woman asked. The youths each nodded. For Tori and Freddie, they had heard the story from their parents, due to their faith. For Jade, she had often run across several religious references whenever she researched anything that piqued her interest. She had read about the story and immediately dismissed it as ludicrous. However, thinking of Freddie's encounter with the taco trunk, she could safely assume that Samson's story may not be as far-fetched as one would think.

"Well, there you go. Besides, Freddie, you need super-strength to survive your beating from that she-demon, Puckett," the woman said, with Sam's name rolling scathingly off her tongue.

"What do you mean about Sam? You're saying her super-strength comes from the same source?" Jade asked, despite herself.

"Oh please. You really think a girl like her would be able to do what she could without something being in her genetics? Not to mention her ridiculous behavior? You think her taking it out on you was just a result of an absent father or an incorrigible mother? Having you and Carly in her life would've deterred that behavior in any NORMAL teenage girl," the woman said, putting emphasis on the word 'normal'.

"Okay, just stop! We still don't know who you are!" Tori shouted, having had enough. The woman smiled.

"Fair enough. My name is Gadreel. And to answer your next question, I've had my powers for as long as I've been around," Gadreel replied, answering Tori's question, but not telling the whole truth. Tori and Freddie were thrown by the name. However, Jade knew the name sounded familiar but couldn't quite place it.

"Anyway, are you telling us there's a lot more going on here than anyone really knows?" Freddie inquired.

"Of course. The supernatural has always been around and will always be. And it will continue to affect humanity in some form. The only question is whether or not you believe in the positive side of things. If not, then He won't be able to help, as help can only come to those who ask for it. At any rate, you seem to understand your powers well enough. I'll leave you to your devices now. Good day to you all," Gadreel said as she turned to leave. Suddenly, a blue-green energy blast hit close to her feet. Gadreel turned back to face and irate Jade.

"Hold on. We're not finished yet. We still have questions to you need to answer!" Jade shouted as she didn't like anyone being cryptic.

"Don't worry. Your answers will come soon enough. However, it will take time before you begin to truly understand. And before I go, remember this: protect loyal friends as you would your old family. And watch out for old enemies and ex lovers. They have a tendency of trying to tear you down one way or another," Gadreel said before she went through the house. The three youths could've sworn they saw a flash of light where Gadreel had walked but figured their minds were playing tricks on them.

"So what do we do now?" Tori asked, coming out of her train of thought.

"Maybe we can call it a day. I'm feeling hungry. You ladies want to eat out again? My treat," Freddie offered.

"Eh, why not? We are getting the hang of this...psychic deal. And maybe we can do something with this," Jade replied smiling to her companions.

"I don't see why not. But I think I'll have to go home this time. So where to?" Tori asked, as she approached Freddie and linked her right arm with his left, and Jade linked her other arm with his. The three left the property of the house and all climbed into Jade's car. Unknown to them, someone had watched their interaction and began seething with jealousy. Beck had come out from behind the tree with an angry look on his face. With him was a tall, pale man with long black hair and yellow glowing eyes, along with black sclera. The man was wearing all black, from head-to-toe and looked to Beck.

"Can you believe those three? Jadelyn thinks that she can just dump you for not having her way in your relationship. And then she goes and makes friends with the Vega girl and trash you even further. And to top it all off, the tech nerd swoops in and manages to scoop them both?! You and I both know he's not the kind of guy who has girls like that hanging off his arms. Hell, he's not even the kind to get the girl he wants. Those two should be your's. Yet here he is taking them from you. Would you really let him get away with that?" the man asked as his voice became strangely deeper.

"What could I even do? She's not my girlfriend. You know how difficult she can be," Beck replied. Despite his anger, a part of him felt that there was something that felt off.

"Let her know that you never stopped loving her. She can come crawling back to you. As for Tori, remind her how important she is to you, just as you did during the music awards. After all, she didn't want to deny you at first. But fear kept her at bay. Do you want the same thing to keep you from getting what you deserve?" the man asked.

"No. No, Anan, I don't," Beck replied.

"Good. Now come on. We need to prepare. And please, refer to me as Ananiel," the man replied as he took Beck by the shoulder and both vanished in a puff of smoke.

Just as they were watching Freddie and the girls, someone was watching them. The woman spying on Beck had her suspicions that he had made contact with an otherworldly power. She had decided to tail him and found her suspicions to be right. She could only imagine her brother-in-law's reaction when she told him the news. The woman took out her cellphone and dialed a number and wait until his voice came through loud and clear.

"Xander. It's Luna. We've got a problem."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Don't own any series mentioned in this story.

Author's note: Yes, a big bad demon has been introduced into this story. I'll say one thing about Beck, which is exactly what I've said in my other story, Phases. Beck does seem like a good guy, which is why I'm not outright labeling him as a bad guy. He's just a regular person who is being manipulated by an otherworldly force. But that does not mean that Beck is without flaws, especially as he has done things in the show that don't paint him as the perfect boyfriend for Jade, which he isn't. Yes, Jade has shown to be tough to handle. But she's not impossible to get along with as she has her reasons. But Dan has stuck his characters out to be stereotypes, which Jade isn't. Point is, Beck has shown to be a jerk as a boyfriend, but he will not be a bad guy. Also, for anyone wondering about the pace of the story, it's all one big setup until the final sequel for the Hand of Fate stories, which I won't be bale to get to for a good while. So now, enjoy this chapter.

West Residence

Jade sat on her bed with her phone to her ear as she listened to the conversation with Cat in the middle of the late morning. While she hadn't heard from the redhead from some time, she still found it odd that her friend would request something as...odd as she was hearing now. She listened as the shorter girl tried to make her case.

"_Sam has been a good friend to me Jade. She even helps me baby-sit and we've made good money. She's not bad anymore_," Cat reasoned with the goth girl. Jade shook her head at the idea of the blonde being good. She had heard the stories about the blonde star of the web-show, which initially she didn't believe. It wasn't until the morning after their vampire attack that she had seen that the stories were true. She had peeked at Freddie as he was redressing and noticed some bruises that were covered fairly well, but she could still see. The bruises themselves appeared to have been inflicted heavily. She wondered how a girl Sam's size could do such damage to the young man.

"Cat, as much as I want to believe you, I just can't bring myself to do it. I saw myself what Sam did to him. I don't even understand why you would want to move in with her," Jade replied.

"_Like I said, she's been a good friend to me since she came down here. She's been pretty lonely since Carly left_," Cat replied sort of glumly.

"If she wanted a friend, she could've tried not being so ganky towards Freddie. We may not have been friends with Freddie for as long as you and I were, but it's easy to see that Freddie is someone who would've treated her right either way," Jade said, getting annoyed just thinking about the blonde.

"_Well, they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Maybe she didn't want a reminder of everything she had done. Sometimes, no one wants to be reminded of the negative parts of their past. It's never an easy thing to face no matter how strong you say you are_," Cat said. Jade's eyes widened at the clarity which her friend used to defend her roommate. She had always known Cat to be ditzy but had to admit that Cat had moments where she surprised her. She wondered just how much there was beneath the surface of the short redhead.

"I'll at least talk to Freddie and Tori. But you have to make sure she's not a jerk to him because he won't take it. And neither will I," Jade promised.

"_Don't worry. I'll make sure everything works out_," Cat said. The two friends exchanged goodbyes before disconnecting the call. Jade massaged her temples as she thought about the consequences that she knew she, as well as Freddie and Tori, were going to face if they actually went through with this. She had hoped Freddie would be able to stay away from Sam, so that he could be among real friends who treated him as a person and with respect. And a small part of her had to admit, she wanted him to herself as a result. She had ignored that part of her but couldn't completely disregard it. She thought that maybe she wanted she might be looking for a replacement for Beck. However, she felt completely different around the former tech producer, compared to her ex-boyfriend, let alone André. She her a knock on her door, followed by her mother, Ruby Lynn West, entering her room.

"Jadelyn? Everything alright?" the matriarch said. The stood appeared as an older variant of Jade, minus the gothic apparel. She was dressed in a red business suit, and had hair long brown hair down.

"Yeah mom. Everything's fine. Just clearing something up with Cat," Jade responded nonchalantly

"Would this have anything to do with the young man from iCarly?" Ruby asked her daughter. Jade looked at her mother in surprise.

"There's pictures of you and the Vega girl with him all over the internet," the West matriarch replied.

"Do I even want to know what they're saying besides calling us whores, sluts, and every synonym for the words?" Jade asked. Her mother looked to her with sadness. She had seen the comments from the fans and wondered why so many would be so cruel to someone they didn't know. But then when it came down to it, they were bullies hiding behind a monitor.

"It's nothing to worry about. Besides, he's single. What does it matter, right?" Mrs. West asked. Jade smiled softly at her mother before she got off her bed.

"Anyway, I just got off the phone with Cat. She wants me, Tori, and Freddie to come over to hang with her and her roommate," Jade said to her mother.

"What's the problem?" the matriarch asked.

"Her roommate is the blonde girl from iCarly," Jade replied with irritation lacing her voice.

"I'm sensing a horrifying secret coming up," the mother half-joked with her daughter.

"You're right. That blonde she-demon has been tormenting Freddie since they've known each other. One of the stories has him beating the daylights out of him with a tennis racket, almost breaking his arm, and then throwing him out of the tree-house they were in just because he had a different opinion," Jade seethed out.

"You mean about that boy who got his own show from another webshow?" Ruby asked. Jade nodded as she confirmed the information for her mother.

"Do you think Freddie would really be able to sit at the same table as someone who tormented him for so long? Grudges tend to last a while. Even if Freddie doesn't hold a grudge, that anger can eat away at him," Ruby asked her daughter. Jade thought on her mother's words and realized that she was right. She had caught Freddie's melancholic expressions every now and then since they met up. No matter how well he hid it, she could still see it for herself.

"I guess we'll just have to see," Jade answered as she moved to prepare herself for the day. Ruby tilted her head to the side as she looked at her daughter. She noticed that Jade had been different since the break-up with Beck. Jade told her about how she had ended the relationship and Beck's reaction. However, there was something with Jade's story that the pale young woman seemed to be covering up. She decided she would let it go for the time being.

Sheraton Hotel

Jade walked towards Freddie's hotel room hoping to get this conversation over with. She had gone over everything she wanted to say in her head, but no matter what she thought of, it didn't quite sound right. The most she could do is just be straight-forward and hope he doesn't lose it. As she approached the door to his room, she heard laughing on the other side. She knocked three times and waited, being rewarded as Freddie opened the door with a smile on his face.

"Hey Jade. Come on in. Tori's already here," Freddie greeted. Jade cocked her head to the side as she thought she might not have heard him correctly. As she stepped into the room, she looked around and noted the living area with the couch to her immediate left and a television to her right. In the middle was a coffee table, where a laptop sat, running what appeared to be a game. She noticed Tori sitting on the couch with an even bigger smile on her face before the lighter brunette took notice of her former rival's appearance.

"Hey Jade. What's up?" Tori asked. Jade looked between Tori and Freddie, thinking they must have been having fun playing whatever game was on Freddie's computer. She felt a pang of jealousy. Ordinarily, it would've been a combination of that and anger at seeing another girl have something she wanted. However, she stopped and thought back to what her mother said earlier about him being single. She wasn't quite sure why seeing him with Tori bothered her, but she decided to push the thought away.

"Not much. I'm actually glad you guys are here. There's something I need to talk to you about," Jade began as she took a seat on the couch to Freddie's right, with Tori on his left.

"What's going on?" the tech producer asked.

"Cat called this morning and said she wanted to invite us over for dinner at her place, with her and her roommate," Jade answered. She caught the look on Freddie's that showed his discontent. However, she wasn't too sure how he could feel this way.

"What's the big deal?" Tori asked. She caught the same looks as well but wondered what she possibly could've been missing.

"Sam is her roommate," Freddie replied. The brunette girls both looked surprised at his answer. Both were wondering how he would know, with Tori wondering if he was joking.

"How do you know that? We didn't even know that. At least I didn't until Cat called," Jade said.

"I ran into Sam right before we took that tour of the campus. I told you how she just up and left one day without a word. She told me that she ran into Cat and they became roommates. Of course, that was between her insulting as she always did. She even insults the girls who actually are interested in me, despite her dating me. Sometimes, I wish I could change that, so I won't have to walk around with another regret in my life," Freddie said tiredly. The girls listened and caught his tone and wondered how long did he suffer to sound so weary.

"Nothing changed?" Jade asked. Freddie looked at her as he thought on her question. He thought back to what she said were the reasons behind her breaking up with Beck a third time. They both seemed to have an understanding about their experiences.

"No. But it doesn't matter. She made her choice, Carly made her's, and I've made mine," Freddie said.

"What does Carly have to do with it?" Tori asked the young man.

"When Sam and I dated, we kept having problem after problem with each other. We went to Carly to try and bail us out until she couldn't take it anymore. She even helped come up with a plan to break us up when we weren't spending as much time with her, by using my my rejected camp application as a reason why. She even knew that Sam had changed my application so it would be rejected because I didn't know what time it was. And then when she started feeling guilty, I let her browbeat me into taking Sam back, even when she asked 'who cares'," Freddie explained.

"But what happened afterward?" Jade asked. She caught him trailing off and knew there was something that went down that involved more. Freddie let out a breath as he didn't want to relive the memories of that night.

"When I last spoke to Carly, I wanted to tell her how much I missed her. Sam left and I didn't even hang out with Spencer much. It just felt empty. When I did get in touch with her, I was ready to pour my heart out. But she's been dating another guy since she's been there. After I saved Carly's life, we dated but I listened to Sam say she only dated me because of what I did, not for who I was. And she was right. I told Carly that if she still wanted to date me once the casts were off and the hero thing died down, I'd be psyched. But she never said anything. She just dated one loser after another. And before she left, she gave me one last kiss. I wanted to talk to her about that night. But now it's happened again. That's part of why I'm here now. I needed a change in my life. And I wouldn't find that being stuck in the same place," Freddie revealed. Jade put a hand on his shoulder as she could literally feel the intensity of his emotions washing over her. Tori wasn't sure what to add as she had never known the pain that either of her friends had experienced.

"Everyone deserves a chance to change. Maybe, just maybe, dinner with Sam and Cat might be a new start for Sam," Jade replied. Freddie wanted to snort out a laugh but caught himself.

"Do you think she may have actually changed? It'd be a start," Freddie said.

"Well, no matter what happens, we'll be there for you," Tori said, comforting the tech producer. Freddie stared blankly at his computer before looking to Jade and then to Tori.

"Alright. Let's go. I just need to change and then we're leaving," Freddie said as he went to his bedroom and closed the door. Tori looked to her former rival with slight apprehension.

"Jade. There's something I need to tell you," the singer said.

"What is it?" Jade ask, wondering what could make Tori so nervous.

"When that whole thing with the Platinum Music Awards was going on, something happened. You might have noticed that Beck and I were hanging together, a lot. But when Mason fired me, well, the guys came over to comfort me. André and Robbie left, with just me and Beck...alone," Tori said, trailing off.

"He tried to kiss you," Jade said plainly. Tori's eyes widened, and she unconsciously stood up from the couch. Jade, however, gave a warm friendly smile.

"It's okay Tori. I'm not going to hurt you for it. If anything, I want to thank you," Jade said. Tori raised one eyebrow as she thought Jade might have lost her mind for a second. Jade took notice and began to explain.

"First, I should tell you that the only reason I even know is because Cat left the webchat open on her computer when I was getting ready. I saw the whole thing, from Beck flirting with you, to you rejecting him because, despite our...hard times with each other, you considered me a friend and didn't want to hurt me. And whether you know it or not, you indirectly showed what Beck was really like that night. I should've realized right then and there that Beck didn't love me, especially after he talked down about to you. I should've hit him where it hurts when he came up to me on stage. But all I could think about was having what I thought I wanted. But nothing changed. My definition of love was something that I just couldn't compromise," Jade explained. Tori looked as if her whole world had been shaken.

"As much as I'd rather not say it, you're right. Whenever he talked about you to me, I always brought up your shortcomings, but then I never noticed him treat you with the love and respect you should've been treated with. It's just as Freddie said," Tori returned.

"It's okay Tori. But there is a bright side to all of this. We're friends. And now we have Freddie. It's a start, but I think everything will be alright," Jade said. Tori smiled and sat back on the couch as they waited for Freddie to finish changing. Unknown to them, Freddie stood on the other side of the door listening. He thought back to how Carly and Sam treated him and allowed him to be treated. The incident with Fred was the real clencher as he just had a differing opinion and because no one respected it, he was ousted. But then from what he heard, Jade only wanted to be treated with love, which had been denied to her for three years. He recalled how they Jade had gotten back with Beck the second time and realized that the Canadian actor only wanted her when he realized that he couldn't have Tori and the other girls simply bored him to death. He shook his head and changed his clothes, realizing it wasn't his business to interfere.

Venice, California

Jade had pulled the car into the apartment complex, with Freddie and Tori having enjoyed the ride. The buildings themselves looked a bit more luxurious than they expected. Freddie thought about the upcoming reunion with Sam and thought about how much he wasn't looking forward to it. Tori realized that she and Cat might have to play mediators, as they knew when it came down to Sam and Freddie, Jade was on one side with Cat on the other. The car finally pulled into an empty space and Jade killed the engine. The three stepped out of the car and walked up the stairs to Cat's apartment. They came to a stop and Jade knocked and waited. They were rewarded with Cat answering the door and smiling brightly at them.

"Hi!" Cat greeted.

"Hey Cat," Jade replied warmly.

"Hey there Cat," Tori said.

"Hi," Freddie greeted a bit shyly.

"Hi Freddie!" Cat greeted as she wrapped Freddie in a big and warm embrace. Freddie shyly returned the hug.

"It's been so long. It's great to see you," Cat said, still smiling. She took his hand and pulled him into the apartment while Tori and Jade looked at each other and shook their heads. They always thought Cat to be odd, but they remembered she had moments where she knew exactly what she was doing. They still wondered who exactly the short redhead was beneath the surface.

"Come on. We made Italian for dinner. I hope you guys like it," Cat said, leading them to the kitchen. Everyone stopped as Freddie took in Sam's appearance in the apartment. He kept a straight, and somewhat stoic, face as he took in his ex-girlfriend, who he hadn't seen in weeks.

"Sam," Freddie said calmly.

"Hey Freddie," Sam said. The blonde looked to Jade, who was staring at her in malice, while she noticed Tori who seemed nervous. Cat spoke up, hoping to dissolve the tension in the room.

"Why don't we sit down and we'll bring the food out," Cat said, leading the visiting trio to the table. The three sat down and the tenants brought out the dishes and set them out on the table. The girls brought the entrees and began fixing plates for everyone. Sam and Cat sat down to join them.

"So what's been going on? Anything new happening with you ladies?" Sam asked, trying to break the ice.

"Oh, uh...not much. We're actually planning to attend UCLA for acting, music and stuff," Tori answered nervously.

"Okay. Why are you hanging around Freddie?" Sam asked. Freddie noticed that the question lacked the usual bite and insult that it usually did.

"You jealous?" Jade asked sarcastically. Sam looked back to Jade with a curious expression.

"Okay. What's the deal? Did I do something?" Sam asked.

"Not to me or Tori. But what you did to Freddie is inexcusable," Jade replied with a bit of heat in her voice.

"What?" Sam asked in return.

"Jade," Freddie said not really wanting to deal with the issue at the moment.

"I'm sorry Freddie. But I don't see any real reason for you or any of us to sit here with her and act like she's been such a great friend when she's just a bully who got away with too much," Jade said.

"You don't know me!" Sam shouted.

"I know plenty about you to tell that you're just some heartless gank who enjoyed screwing over someone who's been nothing but kind to you. He even took you back when you really a life dream for him. He was way too good for you to begin with," Jade seethed. Tori looked between Jade and Sam hoping a fight wouldn't break out.

"Jade please," the short redhead begged her friend.

"Cat, did you really think it would be this simple? You may be willing to look past everything. But what about Freddie? He's moved from everything he knew and loved because he thought he needed to get away from a place that was poisoning him. And I don't blame him for feeling that way. But what none of us can understand is why?" Jade finished off.

"You want to know why?! Why don't ask my dad?! Oh wait. You can't! Because he didn't stick around and my mom is just some dime-a-dozen slut who can't even make a decent attempt at being a mother," Sam raged as she answered the question. Jade argued back as that being no excuse while Freddie's head snapped up at her reply, not because of her answer, which he was fully aware of. However, something shocked him into looking up at his ex-girlfriend and what he saw nearly horrified him. As he caught a good look at Sam, he saw colors surrounding her. The colors were a dark red and black mixing together as Sam's anger came to the forefront. He looked to Cat as he noticed she had been silent during the exchange and was just as shocked. The faux redhead seemed to have a silver color surrounded her. He noticed her face take on an expression of confidence as she got out of her seat.

"Just stop, alright!" Cat shouted. Jade and Sam looked to Cat who looked ready to back either of them down while Tori looked in awe at her friend.

"Listen, I didn't want any trouble to start tonight. Yes, Sam has done bad things. Things she might never be able to take back. But we can't change the past. We're all starting new parts of our lives and there's no point in trying to remain stuck on what was. Both Sam and Freddie are here to begin something new. But they can't do that until they bury everything between them," Cat said to everyone. Jade and Sam looked as if they had just been scolded like school children as they both calmed down. However, Cat wasn't done just yet.

"How about this: Freddie will tell Sam exactly how he feels. And then Sam will tell Freddie how she feels and you two will work it out," Cat said as she sat back in her chair. The former couple looked to each other as if sizing each other up.

"Alright. Here's how I feel: Sam, for as long as I've known you, you've been bold, strong and confident. But you've also been arrogant, spiteful, and you never seemed to know when to stop even when I asked you. In fact, when I did, you basically said no and that you'd apologize every few years to get a clean slate. But we're at a point where that doesn't fly anymore. I could've just as easily been as mean to you as you were to me. But there was no point because that's not how I was raised, and that's not the person that I want to be. If you're going to keep being this way to me, remember, I will defend myself, at any cost," Freddie said as his eyes bored into Sam's. The blonde tried her best look away but couldn't as she began to see the kind of man Freddie would be.

"Freddie...I...I don't hate you. Jade's right. My parents being shitty is no real excuse. It's just...when I saw you around Carly and how she just let you in, I got...jealous. The girl was like a sister to me and it felt like you were taking her away. And since I'm on this whole 'honesty' kick, I do like you. But I shouldn't have done what I did. I'm sorry," Sam said, as she deflated in front of everyone. Freddie looked at Sam and could tell that, as strange as it was, Sam was being genuine. However, Jade was still on the lookout as she knew it wouldn't have been that easy. However, she looked to Cat who seemed happy that the blonde said what she said. She wondered what kind of affect the short redhead had on the blonde webstar.

"Awww! Everything's good now...right?" Tori asked nervously as everyone looked at her oddly. Freddie and Sam began laughing as it seemed the tension was leaving the room. Everyone dug into their meals and talked about any plans for the remainder of the season.

As their time together was coming to an end, Cat and Sam walked the trio to the door. Everyone was exchanging goodbyes as Jade, Freddie, and Tori left the apartment building. Cat watched them walk away and turned back to go into the apartment. However, she stopped as she felt something wrong in the air and turned back to look into the night sky. Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about what she could be feeling.

"Cat, you alright?" Sam asked as she noticed her roommate hadn't followed her back in. Cat turned back and wore a forced smile.

"Yeah. I'm fine," Cat replied. The two walked back into the living area where they spotted a man dressed in a black duster, with black pants, a black shirt and black shoes, with black hair that came to just above his shoulders. However, both girls noticed his blood red eyes.

"Hello girls. It's nice to finally meet you both," the stranger said.

"Buddy if you don't leave, we're calling the cops," Sam retorted. The stranger simply smiled at her threat.

"An interesting ultimatum, Samantha, given your abhorrence of the authorities. You had the same fiery spirit as your mother had. Well, before my brother walked on her and, subsequently, you," the stranger shot back.

"I don't know who you are, but my life isn't some open-book weirdo. Now get out!" Sam said as she stepped in front of Cat. The stranger smiled even wider, but in a threatening manner, as he stood up.

"You think you have the power to order me? You know nothing of power, and neither does Catarina. At least not yet," the stranger replied cryptically.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sam asked not liking where this was going.

"I'll show you," the stranger said, before he grabbed Sam by her shirt and threw her clear across the room. He edged closer to Cat who backed away until she hit a wall.

"So you're the one I'm supposed to be so worried about? Hmph. You may have some power, but you're just another puny human. Still, doesn't mean I can't have a little fun," the stranger said as he put one hand around Cat's neck with his mouth, which she noticed was open and had sharp canines, inching closer.

"NOOOOO!" Cat shouted as she put one hand to the stranger's face. The young woman opened her eyes, which began glowing in a silver light, and looked at her attacker. Her hand became surrounded by the same light that shine from her eyes and energy crackled from her palm. The gathered energy shot at the stranger's face and launched him into the opposite wall across the room. The energy dissipated from the stranger;s body after a few moments. He looked at the stunned redhead as he got back to his feet. He charged her, fueled with anger, until Sam blocked him and launched a left and right hook combo. She followed with an uppercut and grabbed his shoulders, kneeing him in his stomach a few times, before lifting him off the floor and throwing him across the room into a wall. Cat moved the blonde's side for protection. The stranger looked at the two young ladies and sneered as he knew this wasn't as easy as he initially thought. The sound of police sirens interrupted his musings. He looked at his right to a window and made a break for it. He jumped through the closed window, shattering the glass. Sam ran out to see if he made it, only to find him gone; the only trace of him being a lone black feather that floated down to the ground.

Sam turned back to the apartment and noticed Cat shaking. She walked over to her roommate and embraced her, feeling every bit as scared.

"It's okay cupcake. He's gone," Sam said, hoping to assure her roommate.

"It's actually happening," Cat said more to herself than Sam. Sam looked at her for a second but kept comforting her.

Outside of the apartment, across the street, the stranger that attacked Sam and Cat lurked in the shadows. He was so sure that the two girls were easy pickings but was proven wrong. He was still trying to shake off the effects from the blast that the short redhead had delivered to him. To top it off, the blonde had demonstrated strength that he didn't think she would have. However, he knew in the long, nearly forgotten past that others like the blonde had similar strength. He turned around as he sensed another presence by him. The being accompanying him was Ananiel, the same one who was with Beck the day before.

"Well, I take it that didn't go so well Turiel," Ananiel said.

"As if you would've fared any better," Turiel said.

"I would have because I've never underestimated humans. I was one of the many of our brothers and sisters who saw the potential they had when pushed far enough. Not to mention how dangerous the nephilim would prove to be, which is why Father flooded the world," Ananiel retorted.

"Alright. I get it. At any rate, you were right about Catarina. That blast she fired was too pure. She won't fight for us," Turiel said.

"Perhaps. But we always have the next best thing in Samantha. All she really needs to know is the other side of her heritage," Ananiel said.

The two disappeared into the night as they realized a change in plan was in order. They knew they master wouldn't be entirely happy. However, they figured there was still something good to be had from the night.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own none of the series mentioned in this story.

Author's note: Okay. So now I've got a bit more action going on. For anyone wondering about the powers popping up all over, there's actually a reason for that. That being said, everyone has some sort of innate gift that takes a fair amount of time for people to really discover. For the characters I'm using, I'm giving them something that would seem unique to their talents or characters. I know with that statement, a lot of you are likely saying 'so why isn't Freddie using technology? Or Jade using darkness?' or something along those lines. The answer to that is to read my other stories in order to better understand why. For anyone wondering about the bad guys featured in this story, they'll have a larger role to play, but not the biggest role as far as the bad guys are concerned. You'll see what I mean eventually. Also, I'm going to try something that I've seen done in pairings but I haven't tried myself for certain reasons. Anyway, here is the next chapter.

Venice, California

The sun rose as a new day was beginning in the state of California. The skies were clear and the temperature was a bit high, but did nothing to dampen the spirits of the California citizens. However, for two young ladies, the mood was rather somber and a bit fearful considering the events of the previous night. Sam had stayed up all night with Cat as the faux redhead stared straight at the television in their living room until she fell asleep come morning. Sam was worried as the other girl had been strangely silent to a point of being mute. If Sam had to guess, her roommate had never been in a situation like the one from last night. She looked at her cellphone and decided that it was better to send a message now rather than wait. Despite her change in demeanor, thanks in part to the Valentine girl, she still felt that she wasn't the most experienced in comfort, especially since she was just as scared.

A few hours later...

Sheraton Hotel

Freddie sat on the bed of his room as he awaited the arrival of the brunette girls. Normally, he would be thrilled to be spending a great deal of time with two lovely girls, especially since Jade and Tori seemed to be taking an active interest in being around him, partly for school, and partly for friendship. However, there was a third part that Freddie felt was a bit much even for himself to even admit. He read the message Sam sent to him again. He called her to ask what was wrong. However, the blonde was quite vehement in requesting (or demanding as he had known her to do) that he just show up with the two singers/actresses. Freddie didn't have to wait any longer as he felt the two young ladies approaching. He thought it odd for second until he remembered that his powers made him see things that he knew wouldn't normally be there. The thought made him smile just a bit. He moved to the door to answer and opened it and smiled at Tori and Jade.

"Hey. How did you know we were here?" Tori as, caught off guard momentarily.

"I felt your presence," Freddie said calmly, trying his best not to laugh at the statement. Jade raised an eyebrow as she looked to Tori who had a blank stare on her face.

"No way," Jade replied.

"Hey, we've been attacked by vampires, used superpowers to kill them, not to mention meeting someone stronger than us, possibly someone or something not human. Not exactly your every day happenings," Freddie replied calmly.

"He's got a point. At least we're still here. In fact, if not for you, we might not have made it out," Jade said as she smiled sweetly at the former tech producer. Tori did the same, which caused Freddie to feel a bit bashful at the way the girls looked at him. He felt that same sensation that had settled inside him just from seeing both of them genuinely happy, thanks in no small part to him. He thought back to when he would do the same for another brunette and a particular blonde and almost frowned.

"So what do we owe the pleasure of your time with us?" Tori asked coyly.

"Well, Sam sent me a text earlier and I read before I called you two. I tried talking to her to see what was up. But she made it clear that she needed us to come to her and Cat. I've known Sam for a long time. And when she gets pushy, it's usually for a reason. Just the way she spoke earlier sounded like something went wrong. I think it best we just get there quickly," Freddie replied.

"We can take my car. I got my license after my dad gave me some lessons. Plus he finally returned the favor for me taking Trina with us to Yerba," Tori said. Freddie looked to Jade for an explanation but she shook her head, signaling that she'd talk about it another time. Freddie followed the two out of his room, his mind admiring all aspects of the two young women. He shook his head to clear the thought

Venice, California

The three brunettes marched to the door, with Freddie knocking once they approached. Barely three seconds later, the door was opened with Sam looking, to Freddie's eyes, slightly on edge. He wondered what could've been going through her mind but decided to wait.

"Good. You guys are here. Come in," Same said, as she grabbed Freddie's hand and yanked him inside, much to Jade and Tori's chagrin. The two singers followed the former couple into the apartment. Excluding Sam, everyone was shocked to see Cat watching the news on television with an expression unlike her usual behavior. Freddie wasn't sure what to make of it as he had only seen her the two times; once at Kenan's house during Andre's party and when Tori's play went wrong.

"Cat? Hey Cat?" Tori tried to get the faux redhead's attention. She was met with no response form the shorter girl.

"You better not have done anything to her!" Jade yelled at Sam.

"NO! I would never hurt her! I swear!" Sam replied, with her hands up in surrender. Jade studied the blonde for a minute as she began to notice the same red and black aura that Freddie did. She decided to leave that matter for another time.

"So what the hell is going on?" Freddie asked as he was confused.

"She's been like this ever since last night. I've been trying to do everything to snap her out of it. But nothing's worked," Sam breathed out with a sigh.

"What did happen?" Tori asked as she was just as worried.

"Not even five minutes after you guys left, some weird guy just showed up in here. We didn't even hear him come in. The windows were locked, we were the only ones in here yesterday, and you three were the only ones that showed up. He shouldn't been able to come in without us knowing. But when we turned around, he was just sitting at the table like he owned the place. I went to protect Cat from here. But as soon as he gets near me, he grabs me and tosses me across the room. And I don't mean I was pushed and stumbled. He literally picked me up with one hand, and then flung me across the room like I was a paper ball," Sam said. Freddie, Jade and Tori looked surprised at the confession. They thought back to a few nights ago when they were attacked as they left Nozu.

"Sam. Did this guy have a weird face, like really pronounced ridges on his forehead? Maybe golden eyes, and fangs?" Freddie asked. Sam looked at her ex-boyfriend oddly at his question.

"No. His face had smooth features. He was handsome. More than handsome; he was freakin' hot. But he had blood red eyes. He looked like someone you'd see in a action movie, like Blade. And why would you ask me something like that anyway?" Sam responded as she shook her head. Freddie looked to the three girls, silently communicating a certain decision. Tori simply nodded while Jade shrugged her shoulders.

"Sam. This is going to sound nuts. Especially coming from me. But You probably weren't the first ones attacked. And I doubt you'd be the last. We were attacked a few nights ago," Freddie began.

"By what? Crazed fans?" Sam asked, trying to add levity to the situation.

"I wish. We...we were attacked by vampires," Freddie replied.

"Vampires?" Sam asked back. Freddie nodded which earned Sam laughing up a storm at the explanation. As soon as the blonde calmed down, she looked at the serious faces of the three brunettes.

"You're not joking," Sam stated rather than asked.

"Sam, you said yourself that the guy tossed you across the room. I doubt he would've left so easily unless something else happened," Freddie said.

"Well something did. I tried to fight him off. Got in some good hits, but he shrugged them off like they were nothing," Sam said.

"That is weird. It's one thing to be able to get one, especially from one of your hits when you really want to hurt someone. But just taking them and then still standing is something else. How did you fight him off?" Freddie asked.

"The light," Cat suddenly spoke up. Everyone looked to her as her facial features softened considerably.

"For a moment, I could feel darkness surround me. It was like I was falling into an episode. He would've killed me. Fed on my blood. But then, I saw the most beautiful light. As if it were calling out to me. And then, it burst out from inside of me. For me, it was salvation. For him, it was judgment," Cat finished saying. The other occupants looked on, wide-eyed as it was the most serious, poetic, and yet chilling thing they had ever heard come from the normally bubbly redhead.

"He didn't explode into dust or anything did he?" Freddie asked. Sam looked at Freddie oddly.

"No. He was a light lost in darkness for a long time," Cat followed up. Freddie thought on the shorter girl's response as something about her statement seemed to match something but he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"So how did you make him leave?" Jade asked. Cat didn't say a word in response. She merely lifted a hand and a soft, silver glow with crackling energy surrounded it before it faded, and the redhead put her hand back down. The young woman did it as if it naturally came to her that everyone else in the room was occupied wondering how she did it without the level of concentration it took for her.

"Cat...what did...how...huh?!" Tori asked without forming a complete question. Before the shorter redhead could answer, there was a knock on the door. Everyone looked at the door as Sam went over to open it. On the other side stood an older woman, with fair skin, and dark hair down to hair neck. She had on a black blouse with dark blue jeans, appearing like any other woman. However, Sam felt that something about the woman was off.

"Hello. My name is Jenny Calendar. I'm here to investigate about the intrusion that happened here last night," the woman stated to the blonde girl. Sam debated shutting the door in the woman's face.

"Sam. Let her in," Cat called from inside the apartment. Sam looked back wondering what was wrong with her.

"Let her in," Cat said with a bit more force, that it caused the blonde to shiver just a bit. Sam stepped aside and opened the door wider to let Jenny inside. Jenny looked at the other young adults before her eyes stopped on Freddie. Jenny smiled for a second.

"Hi. My name is Jenny Calendar. As I mentioned to Ms. Puckett, I'm here concerning what took place here last night," Jenny explained.

"We already told the cops everything that happened," Sam said feeling annoyed.

"I'm not with the LAPD, Samantha. I'm with a different...group," Jenny replied. Sam directed a glare at the older woman, who only returned it with an indifferent stare.

"So who are you with?" Freddie asked.

"I can't tell you just yet. But what I need to know is exactly what happened," Jenny said to the young man. As she looked at him, she could see in his eyes that he was wary of some things but also determined to do his absolute best. In his eyes was a fire that drove him. It was something that reminded her of one of her best friends. With Jade, she saw a bit of darkness in the young woman but a drive to never let the bad weigh her down. She could see another friend, almost like a sister, in the young woman, and the resemblance was highly uncanny.

"It's just as Sam said to the police. Some weird guy just broke in and attacked us. We fought him off and then he left," Cat said. Jenny could easily see that the redhead was trying to hide something significant.

"It's perfectly alright to tell me what happened," Jenny said in a soothing voice to the redhead, as she sat down next to her. Cat looked into the woman's eyes and noticed that she was genuinely interested in wanting to know what happened.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Cat said, looking down at her hands linked in her lap.

"Try me," Jenny replied. Cat let out a sigh and explained everything to Jenny. While everyone was shocked at Cat's admission, they were just as surprised that Jenny didn't look on in disbelief but rather curiosity and intrigue.

"Did the attacker have a name?" Jenny asked.

"No. All he said was that he had some reason to worry about Cat. And...and that he knew my dad," Sam added the last part with a melancholic tone that Freddie had never heard come from her. Jenny looked to the blonde, as if assessing her, and gave her a small smile.

"Whoever he was, he was stupid to not stick around for you and your sister. And soon enough, you'll make him regret it," Jenny said. Sam looked at Jenny wondering if she heard her correctly.

"Now that the interrogation's out of the way, why aren't you calling us a bunch of morons for thinking we have superpowers?" Jade asked. Jenny smirked at the dark brunette and raised her hand. It was surrounded by a sparking indigo aura. The other occupants' eyes widened at disbelief as they had not expected to meet anyone else to do anything similar to what they've shown. Jenny giggled slightly at their expressions.

"Don't worry. You guys are still special. Just in your own personal way," she said to them.

"No. How did you do that?" Freddie asked.

"You all aren't the first ones to be able to do what you do. And chances are, you won't be the last. This kind of thing has been going on a lot longer than you would think. And while the attack last night was the first for you all, this is something you might not be able to handle on your own," Jenny said as she got off the couch. She went around and handed each of them a card with a phone number on it.

"If any of you wish to talk to a few others, just call that number. You'll be able to find friends to help you," Jenny said as she went to the door.

"Wait. I don't have any superpowers," Sam said. Jenny turned back and looked at the former web hostess.

"You might want to re-think that Samantha," Jenny said before she opened the door and left the apartment. Jenny closed the door and walked away. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number. It took a few rings before her call was received.

"_Hello?_" came Xander's voice on the other end.

"Hey. I just spoke with the young man and his girl friends. It looks like there was another variable that we didn't know about," Jenny said to her friend.

"_Is this good or bad for us? Living on the hellmouth, I've really come to hate surprises_," Xander said, making Jenny laugh a bit.

"Well, there is more good than bad. You were right that the two psions and witch seemed to have a better handle on their abilities. But it looks like another friend of theirs has been thrown into the mix. Said she fired off a blast of silver energy at whoever it was that attacked them. Sandy was the only person who came close to that but the power I sensed from the girl was different. Sort of pure," Jenny remarked.

"_That's definitely a first. But it might not be totally unexpected. Just as some magic users were attuned to certain elements, it's possible this girl might be attuned to something higher than pure energy_," Xander explained.

"There's something else. You were right about the Puckett girl. She's got human in her but there's something else, something more powerful than we've ever seen in most other half-breeds. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was just like _him_," Jenny said as she thought back to a major battle years ago.

"_No surprise there. As far as anyone else knows, most of half-breeds like those two rarely exist. In fact, Sachiel mentioned that there are two more in the world as far as he's aware of. But we'll have to leave them alone unless they come to us. We don't know what's going down in the future so if there's a chance we can help them help themselves, then the better off everyone will be_," Xander said to his friend.

"Do you ever think we made a mistake in how we brought all of this about? I mean they're all just so young to be dealing with this kind of thing," Jenny said.

"_Me and many of the others were just as young, if not younger, than they were. I was sixteen when I heard about vampires and I staked Jesse when he was turned. Buffy was called to duty younger than that. If there's one thing I've learned in this whole thing, there's always a method to the madness. These guys were chosen to do things for a reason just as we all were. When it comes down to it, it's about what we do with our calling_," Xander said. Jenny thought back to what he told the group about his trip through alternate realities, including one where everyone followed their supposed fates. She could only admit that he had a point.

"Alright. Anyway, I'm going to head back and just relax. I'll see you guys in a bit," Jenny said. Xander acknowledged her goodbye and they hung up. Jenny wondered what kind of mess these kids were getting into and hoped that maybe they could get help.

A few hours later...

Sheraton Hotel

Jade and Tori had dropped Freddie back at the hotel, and were walking to their respective cars after bidding farewell to the young man. They walked in an awkward silence not knowing what to say as the day's events began to catch up with them. It seemed as if one thing after another kept coming at them and it set them on edge. For the moment, there was one thing that someone felt needed to be addressed.

"It's amazing how well he's taking this," Tori said, catching Jade's attention.

"Who?" Jade asked.

"Freddie," Tori said.

"Yeah. He's been really wonderful during this whole thing. It's really too bad Sam and Carly couldn't let themselves really see him the way they should've. Or else they'd have never let him go. I know I wouldn't," Jade said as a ghost of a smile appeared on her face. Tori heard the last part and realized something.

"You like him?" the lighter brunette said. Jade looked at Tori and her face began to flush as she had never been one to give away feelings other than anger and irritation. However, being around Tori and Freddie had brought out a part of her that she rarely let anyone see, including Beck.

"Yeah. He's been really great to me, and you. He's treated me with respect. He's listened to me. And he didn't think I was weird. He's pretty mature," Jade said with a full smile on her face as she thought about the former tech producer.

"Oh boy," Tori said tiredly.

"What is it?" Jade asked.

"This sort of makes it kinda...complicated," Tori said bashfully. Jade thought for a second until she realized the same thing.

"You like him too?!" Jade asked. Tori tried looking anywhere but Jade's shocked face.

"What about Andre?" Jade asked.

"Andre?" Tori asked, confused.

"Yeah. The handsome musician that's stuck by you since day one? I thought you would've gotten together with him," Jade said, amazed.

"Jade, he's my best friend. He has been and always will be. Sometimes friends are just that," Tori said. Jade shook her head at the present dilemma.

"How the hell did we get here? And what do we do about it?" Jade asked.

"Maybe we can just keep hanging with him and see how he feels later on. I mean it's only been close to a week and already we're falling for a wonderful who probably doesn't feel the same way," Tori admittedly. Jade felt the same as she felt that she maybe jumping the gun a bit.

"Tori, we need to make a promise," Jade said.

"What kind?" Tori responded.

"We have to promise that no matter what happens, no matter who Freddie chooses, we don't let this affect our friendship with him or each other. I don't want to lose friends over something ridiculous. And after everything he's been through, Freddie should be happy and he needs friends who support him. We will do that for him. Promise?" Jade said as she held out a pinky. She knew that for her, it was as cheesy as it could get. But it was Tori, and she knew her former rival was quite honorable. Tori smiled and linked her own pinky with Jade's.

"Promise," she said to the dark brunette.

Inside his room, Freddie laid on his bed as he thought about the day's events. He felt that he shouldn't be too surprised that there were others like him and the girls. Although he found it odd that he kept being surrounded by hot girls with superpowers, he was glad that he had something that would allow him to help whoever needed it. This caused him to think about the two brunettes who had been slowly, but surely, becoming a part of his life. Tori was truly the girl next door who was quite sweet, and had respected him on his hobbies, skills, and interests. Jade was practically a wildcard as her image had projected someone who was to be reckoned with. However, she had allowed him to see beneath the surface and found a lovely girl who only wanted love and could give it when given the chance to trust. A smile formed as his face as he thought about both girls and what he seemed to enjoy most about them. However, before he knew it, his mind drifted to having the both of them in his life, as friends. And as more. He instantly sat up and began worrying about the new predicament he found himself in.

"Oooooh shit."


End file.
